Multiple switch and the like



June 1943' F. v. FLYNT 2,320,774

MULTIPLE SWITCH AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 25, 1942 Inventor: Frank VFlynt,

His Attorn ey.

Patented June 1, 1943 DIULTIPLE SWITCH AND THE LIKE Frank V. Flynt,Scotia, N. Y., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation ofNew York Application August 25, 1942, Serial No. 455,998

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to multiple contact switches and likearticles having a plurality of contacts or like elements and means foractuating the contacts or elements one at a time and precluding theactuation of a second contact or element at the same time.

The general object of my invention is to provide an improved multiplecontact switch or like article of the type above specified which issimple in design and can be produced at relatively low cost.

For a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention,attention is directed to the following description and the claimsappended thereto in connection with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing Fig. 1 illustrates a multiple contact switch embodying myinvention; Fig. 2 is a section along line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 showsthe switch in a different operating position; and Figs. 4 and 5 show twoelements of the switch prior to assembly.

The switch has a casing I which comprise-'5 two parallel walls, in thepresent instance a top H and a bottom I2 united by side walls I3, I4 anda rear wall I5. The casing is made of insulating material by a moldingprocess. The upper wall or top II is formed with a plurality ofsubstantially uniformly spaced projections or partitions I which havelower ends in close proximity to the lower wall or bottom I2. Theseprojections or partitions together with the side walls I3, I4 form aplurality or row of chambers or compartments I'I, I8, I9 and 20. A flatmetallic spring 2|, as shown in Fig. 5, is inserted into the chambers ITto with its ends projecting into recesses 22 and 23 formed in the sidewalls I3 and M respectively near the bottom I2. Spr ng 2| is of suchlength that upon insertion into the chambers it assumes the shape shownin Fig. 1 which, generally speaking, is corrugated or sinusoidal. In allbut one of the compartments the spring forms a corrugation or loop. Inthe present instance such corrugations or loops are formed in thecompartments I'I, I8 and 20. In one of the compartments, in the presentinstance in the compartment I9, the spring is substantially fiat. Thelower portions of the loops or corrugations engage the projections orpartitions I6. The upper portions of the loops or corrugations engageseparate pins 24 yieldably projecting through openings 25 in the top II.Lower end portions 26 of the pins are enlarged to prevent them fromsliding out of the casing I0. During the process of manufacture the pinsare inserted in plastic condition in cylindrical form 21, as shown inFig. 4. They are then pressed downward to a fiat surface to enlarge thelower ends until they assume the shape show in Fig. 1. A row of contactmeans or like elements to be actuated by the spring is supported on thecasing. In the preesnt instance I have shown a pair of contacts 28secured to or molded into a central bottom portion of each compartment.Each contact has a flexible portion 29 projecting into a. compartment incooperative relation with the spring 2I.' In the position shown in Fig.1 the contacts 28 in the compartment I9 are closed or bridged by themetallic spring 2|. In the present example a pair of contacts areprovided for each compartment so that there will be always one pair ofcontacts bridged by the spring 2 I. If during operation it is desired toopen the contacts 28 in the compartment I9 and to close, for example,the contacts for the compartment I8, the pin 24 projecting into thecompartment I8 is forced downward, causing displacement of the springand in the present instance forcing it into the compartment I9. Fig. 3illustrates this operation in an intermediate position of the spring inthe compartments I8 and I9. As the pin for compartment I 8 is pressedslightly further downward the spring in the compartment I8 snaps down orflattens while the spring portion in the compartment I9 snaps upward,assuming the shape of a loop as in the compartments II and 20. In theposition of Fig. 3 in which the loops in compartments I8 and I9 are ofsubstantially equal size the horizontal forces of the spring below theprojection I6 between said compartments are about equal. The spring inthis position, however, is unstable. A slight downward force on the pinfor compartment I8, suflicient to overcome the friction of the springwith the partition between compartments I8, I9, causes the spring tosnap into a stable position in which the spring portion in thecompartment I8, as stated above, is substantially fiat and the springportion in the compartment I9 forms a loop with the top thereof biasingthe pin in the compartment I9 upward against the top H.

Thus, with my invention. I have accomplished an improved construction ofmultiple contact switches and the like in which only one of a row ofcontacts or like elements may be actuated at a time and whereby anactuated element or closed contact is automatically released or openedupon the actuation of another contact or element. An arrangementaccording to my invention comprises a casing or support having twobetween pairs of partitions.

equally spaced walls with a plurality of uniformly spaced partitions orlike stops or abutments, se-

the casing and with intermediate portions engaging the free ends or thepartitions. When so assembled, the spring assumes a waved or corrugatedshape with a waved or corrugated portion located between each pair ofabutments but one. Between one pair of abutments or partitions thespring assumes a substantially fiat shape. A plurality of elements, suchas contacts, is secured to portions of one wall substantially in thecenter Pins or like actuating members are secured to portions of theother wall substantially in the center between the pairs of partitions.From another viewpoint, the spring, when assembled in the casing,assumes a sinusoidal shape with trough portions 01' the spring engagingthe free ends of the partitions and the crests of the spring engagingpins or like actuating members. If a pin is forced against a crest ofthe waved spring, the wave or loop in the particular compartment isbeing deformed, assuming a flattened shape, and a portion of the springis forced out of the compartment into that compartment in which thespring previously assumed a flattened shape.

Having described the method of operation of my invention, together withthe apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodimentthereof, I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is onlyillustrative and that the invention may be carried out by other means.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is:

1. A multiple switch and the like comprising a casing having first andsecond spaced walls, a plurality of spaced elements to be actuated heldon the first wall, a plurality of actuating members held on the secondwall, each of the actuating members being located opposite of one of theelements to be actuated, a plurality of abutments held on the casing andslightly spaced from portions of said first wall and centrally locatedbetween the elements to be actuated, and a spring having ends fixed onthe casing, portions of the spring forming corrugations, each having acrest in cooperative relation with one of the actuating members and atrough engaging one of the abutments, one portion of the spring beingsubstantially flat and engaging one of the elements to be actuated.

2. A multiple switch and the like comprising a casing having a firstwall and a second wall spaced from the first wall, a plurality of spacedcontacts secured to the first wall, a plurality of actuating pins spacedon the second wall with each pin located opposite one of the contacts,abutments secured to one of the walls, each abutment having an endportion closely spaced with the first wall and located between a pair ofcontacts, and a spring with ends fixed on the casing and forming aplurality of waved portions and a single substantially fiat portion, thefiat portion engaging one of the contacts, each waved portion having acrest engaging one of the pins and a trough engaging one of theabutments, the application of force by one of the pins on the crest ofone of the waved portions causing said portion to flatten and to engagethe contact opposite said portion and simultaneously causing thepreviously substantially fiat portion to assume a waved shape.

3. A multiple switch or the like comprising a casing having a bottommade from insulating material, a top parallel with the bottom and endwalls, a plurality of spaced pairs of electrical contacts with flexibleend portions held on the bottom, an actuating pin for each pair ofcontacts loosely held on the top opposite the pair oi. contacts, aplurality of partitions integrally formed with the top, each having afree end slightly spaced from the bottom and located centrally betweenadjacent pairs of contacts, and means for selectively bridging a singlepair of contacts at a time and upon actuation to open such pair ofcontacts and simultaneously to bridge another pair, said meanscomprising a metallic spring having ends abutting the end walls near thebottom, and forming a plurality of waved portions and a singlesubstantially fiat portion, each waved portion having a crest near a pinand a trough engaging the free end of one of the partitions, saidsubstantially fiat portion bridging a pair of contacts.

4. A multiple switch and the like comprising a casing having a firstwall, a second wall spaced from the first wall, a plurality ofpartitions secured to the second wall and having free ends slightlyspaced from the first wall to define a plurality of like compartments inthe casing, the second wall of each compartment forming a bore, a pinslidably projecting through each bore, elements to be actuated held onthe first wall and located opposite said pins, and means for actuatingone of the elements at a time and upon actuation to release anotherelement at a time, said means comprising a single fiat spring which uponassembling with the casing assumes a corrugated shape in all but one ofthe compartments and remains substantially fiat in said one compartmentto engage the element therein, the crest of each corrugation engaging apin and the trough of each corrugation engaging the free end of apartition.

5. A multiple switch and the like comprising a casing having a bottomand a top, a partition in the casing having a free endnear the bottomand defining a first and a second compartment in the casing, the top ofeach compartment having a central bore, actuating pins slidablyprojecting through the bores, contact means in the first compartmentheld on a central portion of the bottom, and a single spring which ineach of two end positions forms a waved portion in one of thecompartments and a substantially flat portion in the other compartmentwith the crest of the waved portion engaging a pin and the trough of thewaved portion engaging the free end of the partition, downward movementof the pin when engaging the crest of the waved portion causing thelatter to flatten and a part of the spring to be displaced into theother compartment, the fiat portion when formed in the first compartmentengaging the contact.

6. In a multiple switch, walls defining a plurality of spaced pockets,contacts in each pocket, a circuit closing member comprising a flexibleelement which extends across the pockets and is of a length such that ithas a loop in all but one of the pockets, and actuating means associatedwith the pockets and engaging said loops.

FRANK V. FLYN T.

